(Image source from: Vtvgujarati.com)

With the stringent COVID-19 lockdown, trains were not operating. Now, the Indian Railways will start operating passenger trains from 12th May.

The Railway Ministry said, they will begin with operating 15 trains. These special trains will move from New Delhi station connecting Dibrugarh, Agartala, Howrah, Patna, Bilaspur, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Secunderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Madgaon, Mumbai Central, Ahmedabad and Jammu Tawi.

Further, special services on new routes will start depending on the availability of coaches after reserving it for the following reasons

•    20,000 coaches for COVID-19 care centers

•    At least 300 trains with sufficient coaches for stranded migrants will run as Shramik Special

Highlights

•    Platform tickets won’t be sold

•    The ticket fare will be as much as you would pay for Rajdhani Express

•    There will be limited stops and only AC coaches to run

•    Passengers need to wear masks and get screened at the station

•    No Tatkal facilities available

•    Individuals who booked their tickets earlier during this period won’t be allowed to board these trains

•    Passengers with no COVID symptoms will be allowed to board these trains after being checked

•    On May 11th, IRCTC website will allow these reservations until 4 pm

- Neha Makhija